The Haicang Free Trade Port Zone of the Xiamen FTZ. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiamen FTZ]
Domestic container cargo ships such as Guangxing 398 and Jiangxin 6 berthed at the Hairun Terminal, Songyu Terminal, and International Container Terminal in the Haicang Free Trade Port Zone of the Xiamen Free Trade Zone.
Containers were loaded and unloaded, marking the start of trial operations for the so-called "coexistence of foreign and domestic trade business" at the bonded area's port.
As the demand for logistics and transportation in the domestic market grows, the coexistence of foreign and domestic trade business at ports is a way to optimize resource allocation and improve port operational efficiency.
This year, the Xiamen FTZ Administration Committee and Xiamen Customs have coordinated with relevant units to conduct multiple visits and research trips to the Haicang Free Trade Port Zone.
They have worked to identify and resolve difficulties and have coordinated to promote the phased coexistence of foreign and domestic trade container operations at the terminals.
The Haicang Port Area is the core area for both the international and domestic shipping routes of Xiamen Port, handling the operations of large container vessels of over 100,000 tons and over 80 percent of the domestic container operations at Xiamen Port.
The implementation of coexistence operations allows containers to arrive and depart from the port through various business models such as "waterway arrival and departure", and "sea-rail combined transport" in the form of domestic trade.